In Kotelnich, three men killed ten moose and stole honey hives.

      The investigation of a criminal case involving three residents of Kotelnich has been completed in the Kirov region. According to investigators, from May to September 2024, they were engaged in illegal hunting: hunting in the forest without permits, the men killed 10 moose — three males and seven females. The total damage caused to the wildlife of the region is estimated at 3 million 520 thousand rubles.

      The suspects were detained by employees of the 6th Department for combating organized crime of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kirov region with the forceful support of fighters from the Russian Guard. During the search, it turned out that one of the defendants had converted the on-board UAZ into a hiding place: the lowered body hid weapons and meat from prying eyes.

      The live footage shows hunting rifles and bags of meat being removed from the cache. The last prey of the poachers was a moose. In a specially equipped garage, police found butchering tables, knives, a meat grinder, scales and a freezer. According to the investigation, the meat was processed and transferred to customers both in the form of minced meat and in the form of sausage.

      In addition to hunting, the defendants were involved in a series of thefts. In the villages of Kotelnichsky and Svechinsky districts, they stole 11 beehives with bees and collected honey in the amount of 342 thousand rubles. The stolen goods were either sold or consumed by the attackers themselves.

      Before the trial, the suspects arrested a truck used in hunting, three smoothbore rifles, a hunting carbine, optical sights, ammunition. An improvised firing device disguised as a fountain pen was found in one of the accused. The examination found it to be a firearm.

      Now the three men will have to answer under Articles 258 (illegal hunting) and 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (theft). One of them is also charged under Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal possession of weapons and ammunition).

      The investigation noted the assistance of the Department for the Protection and Use of Wildlife in the Kirov region, whose specialists assessed the damage and provided the necessary information. The materials of the criminal case have been sent to the prosecutor's office for approval of the indictment and subsequent consideration in court.